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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29855292">Going Back and Wasting No Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Error403HRD/pseuds/Error403HRD'>Error403HRD</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Multi-Chapter Fics [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship, Gen, Hijinks &amp; Shenanigans, Jinchuuriki-centric, Mild Language, Time Shenanigans, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:03:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,570</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29855292</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Error403HRD/pseuds/Error403HRD</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto may or may not have gotten desperate and vaulted him and Kurama and the other jinchūriki and bijū back in time.</p><p>Well, at least Rōshi's the only one complaining.</p><p>(I wanted more stories like this, I've only seen 1, and it was on Wattpad, and I may be misremembering since it was so long ago)</p><p>  <i><br/>    <b>On momentary hiatus, next update will be on Thursday, 3 June</b><br/>  </i></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fuu &amp; Nanabi | Seven-tails | Choumei, Gaara &amp; Ichibi | One-tail | Shukaku, Gobi | Five-tails | Kokuou &amp; Han, Hachibi | Eight-tails | Gyuuki &amp; Killer Bee, Karatachi Yagura &amp; Sanbi | Three-tails | Isobu, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama &amp; Uzumaki Naruto, Nibi | Two-tails | Matatabi &amp; Nii Yugito, Rokubi | Six-tails | Saiken &amp; Utakata, Roshi &amp; Yonbi | Four-tails | Son Goku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Multi-Chapter Fics [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>173</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A New Start...yay?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I mean, it seemed fun lol.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<i><b>Gaara, I can't fucking see!</b></i>"</p><p>Gaara blinked, evidently, he had zoned out, not fallen asleep. Curious, considering that he could've sworn it was nearing noon, yet now it was just passed dawn.</p><p>A moment spared looking at his smaller form, he had a single thought.</p><p>"<i>Naruto, what did you do?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Fuck if I know, can't you fix the seal?</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Hm, I'm not good at fūinjutsu, neither is most of Suna. Even Lady Chiyo is far outclassed.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Then find Naruto or something!</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>How do you suppose I do that without raising an alarm?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Who fucking cares about a raised alarm!</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Me. You'll have to deal with this until I make it to Konoha.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Fuck you!</b></i>"</p><p>Not deeming that worthy of a response. Gaara got up from his meditative position and decided to do something nice for his siblings.</p><p>He felt bad for scaring them, and really, they'd be invaluable if he could get them on his side.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Yugito was understandably confused when she woke up.</p><p>"<i><b>No need to worry, Yugito-chan, I have a feeling Kurama-nii-san's little kit may have done this. On accident or on purpose though, is to be seen.</b></i>"</p><p>Yugito blinked at the cheery voice of her companion. Before giving an amused yet curious smile.</p><p>"<i>As wonderful as that is, Matata-chan, how old am I and where am I?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>You're in your home, having gotten back from an A-rank two days ago. As far as I can tell, you're in a twenty-three year old body.</b></i>"</p><p>That narrowed things down a bit. Most of her missions were S-rank at this point in time.</p><p>"<i>Thank you Matata-chan. Do you know where Bī might be?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Are you sure you don't want to nap in the sun for a little while longer? You did just recover from death and time travel, you deserve to relax, if only for a few minutes.</b></i>"</p><p>Yugito gave a soft smile at Matatabi's mother-henning. She was in a much better mood now that Yugito treated her like a person, and Yugito couldn't say with any degree of truth that she regretted doing so.</p><p>It was nice to have someone mother-henning her, if she was honest.</p><p>"<i>Alright, I suppose we can, if only for an hour or so.</i>"</p><p>Matatabi's pleased purr made Yugito smile as she layed back down in the warm sunspot.</p><p>For once, she decided that not worrying was the best course of action.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Yagura's eyes snapped open, recognizing the quarters as those he held as a Mizukage.</p><p>"<i><b>Please don't panic Yagura-san!</b></i>"</p><p>Yagura took the Sanbi's advice and cleared his mind in a moment, making sure his movement wasn't detected. Just in case.</p><p>He noticed the two suppressed chakra presences by the door. ANBU guards.</p><p>That didn't explain the unknown chakra presence asleep <i>in his room.</i></p><p>"<i>Isobu, do you know who that is?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>No, though I think he's the one who cast the genjutsu on you last time. He should be gone in the next week or so if we play it safe.</b></i>"</p><p>Yagura narrowed his eyes, feeling the quiet fury from Isobu.</p><p>The Sanbi rarely ever showed negative emotions other than fear, for him to be so furious was an anomaly.</p><p>Not that Yagura could blame him.</p><p>He'd have that bastard's head for ruining his country.</p><p>"<i><b>You're club is nearby, Yagura-san, but he'll surely notice if you try to reach for it. His presence seems to be an Uchiha.</b></i>"</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>"<i>Is there anyway to avoid the sharingan?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Aside from killing him before he activates it? Not any that I know of.</b></i>"</p><p>Damn it.</p><p>So, Yagura shot out of bed, activating two of Isobu's tails and alerting his ANBU guards.</p><p>If he was lucky, he'd come out of this alive and with his hat.</p><p>If not, well, the Akatsuki would be on everyone's radar.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>"<i><b>Get up.</b></i>"</p><p>Rōshi scowled at the voice and cracked his eyes open.</p><p>"<i>Gokū. What?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Did you not notice that you're currently alive?</b></i>"</p><p>Now that he stated it, yeah, that was weird. Rōshi groaned, </p><p>"<i>Damn it.</i>"</p><p>He felt a sense of annoyance coming from the Yonbi.</p><p>"<i><b>Well, Shukaku isn't flailing his chakra about like a madman, so it seems we aren't the only ones. Get up, we need to find Kokuo and his jinchūriki.</b></i>"</p><p>Begrudgingly, Rōshi stood up from his place beside a rock, and waited, knowing that Son Gokū would pester him about it until he snapped and followed orders.</p><p>"<i>Well, oh great one, where are they?</i>"</p><p>"<b><i>Brat. They're somewhere to your right, now go you overinflated-</i></b>"</p><p>Rōshi rolled his eyes idly checking his belongings and going in the direction he was told to, off the path.</p><p>He felt about a decade younger, which was the only nice thing about being alive.</p><p>"<i><b>Quit your complaining. We have things to do.</b></i>"</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>"<i><b>Han-san, please awaken.</b></i>"</p><p>Knowing that Kokuō rarely requested things from him, Han complied.</p><p>"<i>Is there something you need, Kokuō-sama?</i>"</p><p>And then it hit him.</p><p>He was alive.</p><p>"<i><b>I do believe young Naruto-san is behind this. Though I can't quite tell if it was intentional, since this far back he will certainly be too young to even be a genin.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>This is an interesting predicament.</i>"</p><p>Han could feel Kokuō's light exasperation, and wondered why the normally even-tempered bijū would feel even the slightest annoyance at a relatively uneventful moment.</p><p>"<i><b>As interesting as it may be, I fear my ideologies must be put aside. We must take down the Akatsuki for the good of the world. Luckily for us, it appears assistance is approaching.</b></i>"</p><p>Han's brow furrowed at the thought of Kokuō being upset, but he put that aside for the moment, flaring out his chakra, both to sense the approaching ally, and to assist in their search for him.</p><p>"<i>I am truly sorry that we must fight.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>No need, if this will assist in gaining long-lasting peace, then so be it.</b></i>"</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>"<i><b>Uta-kun! Uta-kun! Wake up!</b></i>"</p><p>Utakata blinked, before feeling a rush of chakra from behind him.</p><p>The Mizukage's tower.</p><p>"<i>Saiken, Yagura-sama needs help.</i>"</p><p>A slight feeling of exasperation</p><p>"<i><b>Yeah, I know! Iso-nii-chan seems more furious than I've ever seen him.</b></i>"</p><p>Utakata ran toward the tower. He felt little love for the Mizukage when he first met him, but after realizing the boy-man?-was manipulated using genjutsu, he bore no real opinion of him other than a slight one of camaraderie and pity.</p><p>"<i><b>Careful, this is probably the one who put him under genjutsu in the first place!</b></i>"</p><p>Reaching the Mizukage's Tower, he saw the battle reach a small field, outside of the tower, and very public.</p><p>Smart.</p><p>Yagura-sama was using all three tails with little difficulty. Good, considering him and the Sanbi were supposedly on really good terms. The man they were fighting was clearly an Uchiha.</p><p>That sharingan would be a pain.</p><p>"<i>Saiken, we'll start off with four!</i>"</p><p>Saiken complied, and they joined the battle.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>"<i><b>Fū-chan! It seems we've been very lucky today!</b></i>"</p><p>Fū blinked her eyes open, looking around curiously, before her brain froze. A huge grin erupted on her face.</p><p>"<i>Nee-chan, we're alive!?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Yep! And you're ten again!</b></i>"</p><p>Fū groaned causing Chōmei great amusement.</p><p>"<i>So what are we supposed to do? Shibuki-sama won't be happy if I just up and leave, and the other jinchūriki probably don't need help from a little girl, ssu...</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Aww! Don't be sad Fū-chan! They'll come for us eventually, and if we can get to the same Chūnin exams as Naruto-san and Gaara-kun, then we'll be able to meet up with them!</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>How old are they right now, ssu?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Ehhhh, eight? Maybe?</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>So that means I have to wait....four or five years.....great.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>No no no, this gives you a lot of time to train so that when you do see them then you'll get to show off! Besides, there's always a chance you'll run into the ones from Iwa! Oh oh, or even the two from Kumo!</b></i>"</p><p>Fū gave a smile, standing up and grinning, stretching out her wings with a smile,</p><p>"<i>Time to train then, ssu?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>You bet!</b></i>"</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>"<i><b>Oi, Bī, wake up.</b></i>"</p><p>The familiar rumble of Gyūki started his day off right, though Bī was immediately hit with confusion.</p><p>"<i>Eh-</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Yes, we time traveled. And we lived. Go find Yugito-san and Matatabi.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>But-</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Not now Bī, Kurama's kit probably had something to do with this.</b></i>"</p><p>Knowing he wouldn't get a word in with Gyūki so determined, Bī reluctantly sat up, taking in his location and quickly heading off in the direction of Kumogakure.</p><p>Yugito owned a house there. Probably. Maybe.</p><p>"<i><b>She's twenty-three, yes she owns a house.</b></i>"</p><p>Finding her was an easy task once Bī decided to seek out her chakra. He could never mistake that distinct "jinchūriki flavor."</p><p>"<i>How-</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>I did math. Awful, I know. She's six years younger than you. It wasn't difficult.</b></i>"</p><p>After locating his fellow jinchūriki, he was greeted with a kunai and a slightly grumpy Yugito.</p><p>"You interrupted my nap."</p><p>And so, Bī knew today was going to be one of <i>those</i> days. Yes. Even the great Killer Bī, Lord of the Eight Tails, had <i>those</i> days.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>"<i><b>Brat, what the fuck did you do!?</b></i>"</p><p>Those were the first words he heard before waking up to realize he was fucking <i>eight years old</i>.</p><p>"<i>Kurama, are the others back, or am I alone, what is the last thing you remember-!?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>I know Shukaku is back, his chakra isn't going ballistic like it used to, I don't remember what happened.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Me neither and that's the</i> problem!"</p><p>"<i><b>Calm down Naruto. We can figure this out later, but right now we need to see how good our body is. You skipped school a lot, so this shouldn't matter.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>But-</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>No, if you can't defend yourself, you have no business trying to find the others. We need to see how bad this current body is so we can improve it.</b></i>"</p><p>"Alright fine," Naruto grumbled, wincing at the sight of the jumpsuit and deciding that his normal black shirt and grey shorts would have to do for now.</p><p>Going under a henge, he went to the emptiest training ground he could find and started warming up.</p><p>"<i><b>Your chakra is about half of what it used to be, mine, however, is expansive as always.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Body's weaker, slower too. I'll have to get it up to steam with some of Gai-sensei's methods. Maybe Neji-chan's too.</i>"</p><p>Suitably exhausted, Naruto kept pushing himself, under a brown haired henge that hid his whiskers.</p><p>"<i><b>Kakashi's chakra is near. He's watching.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Basics then?</i>"</p><p>Naruto took his lack of response as a "yes" and forced himself into some of the more basic katas that Neji and Gai had taught him. Naruto couldn't quite tell what Gai's were, but Neji's were Hyūga exclusives, so he'd have to be careful.</p><p>"Bah, kid, should you really be wasting away out here, aren't you supposed to be at the Academy?"</p><p>Naruto spared the ANBU-jōnin?-a glance and shrugged, "Academy's boring book work. Reading isn't all that easy, but what we're doing now is stuff I already know, so I'm fine."</p><p>Kakashi raised a brow from behind his book, Naruto continued his katas, frustrated that he couldn't do something more challenging.</p><p>"That so, Kid? Why's reading so hard?"</p><p>A little fed up with the conversation and desperately wanting to check on the others, Naruto fought to keep control of his chakra output so he didn't accidentally flare it out and threaten Kakashi, "Don't really know how you're supposed to do it. Seals make so much more sense. Shikamaru-kun thought I was joking when I asked, and no one else seems to care enough to even be worth approaching."</p><p>In a second, Kakashi was beside him and had him thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Henge dispelled, Naruto's eye twitched, because there was no way he was going to be alone <i>now</i>.</p><p>"Bah, I'll teach you then."</p><p>Naruto narrowed his eyes,</p><p>"I can't afford to pay you, you know."</p><p>"Can't I teach a cute little student for fun?"</p><p>"Suspicious."</p><p>All his response garnered was a snort from the ANBU-jōnin.</p><p>It really was sad that he couldn't tell if Kakashi was off-duty or just a jōnin.</p><p>Not a moment later, he was deposited in a chair with a stack of books in front of him.</p><p>Kakashi's eye-smile prepared him for the torture.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Getting Started</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's the first week back and everyone's trying to get a plan started.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one's 3000 words longer than the first chapter lmao</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gaara was a patient man, but Shukaku's <i>constant bitching</i> was making him consider a self-lobotomy.</p><p>He'd only been in the past for four hours, give or take, and yet still Shukaku was complaining like he had nothing better to do. Then again, Gaara wasn't sure he wanted Shukaku to plan anything, because he'd done that once and he'd regretted it ever since.</p><p>Still, he's lived for centuries, surely he knows how to entertain himself without driving Gaara mad.</p><p>So, with his patience dangerously thin, he sat in a chair and started dissecting and studying a cactus. He needed to know how to make a perfect replica, because maybe Shukaku would <i>shut up</i> if he ended up sitting on one. He was nearly done when Temari walked in.</p><p>She was so young.</p><p>His heart froze for a moment, and his mind warred with itself. He didn't stare, he had enough control not to do that, but Temari was a <i>child</i>.</p><p>Gaara looked up from the cactus, and decided to give her a bland smile. Hopefully he looked innocent enough to keep her from fleeing, despite the dagger in his hand.</p><p>He also needed to explain what he was doing so she didn't mistake his actions for something nefarious.</p><p>"The ichibi won't shut up, so I'm going to surround him with cacti."</p><p>Temari's smile was forced and her eyes blank, and she likely didn't understand a word of what he said. She backed away slowly until she was out of sight. Then, he heard her quickly turn tail and run, shutting the door behind her in a hurried fashion, though not quite slamming it.</p><p>He expected it, but that didn't help the pain in his chest, nor the tears in his eyes. He did his best to ignore it, returning his attention to the cactus.</p><p>"<i><b>What a bitch.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Shukaku, that is my sister, you'd do well to remember who you're speaking to.</i>"</p><p>The uncharacteristic snap quieted the tanuki for a moment, before he huffed, speaking in a quieter, and slightly apologetic, tone,</p><p>"<b><i>Well it's not like I knew that. I can't see, remember? All I knew is that you were suddenly crying.</i></b>"</p><p>Gaara took a breath, wiping his tears away, even as they kept coming. He didn't understand why it was so hard to reign himself in, he'd done so dozens of times.</p><p>That's the sight Kankurō busted in to. He was energetic, ready to yell and cheer, clearly having had a good day, but he froze mid-step upon seeing Gaara.</p><p>Then he backed away.</p><p>The tears came down even harder and Gaara fought to keep the sobs at bay, having embarrassed himself enough.</p><p>At the sound of the door closing, Gaars wondered why he even got his hopes up.</p><p>Shukaku gave a low grumble, trying his best to send comforting feelings towards his host, not knowing how else to handle the situation,</p><p>"<b><i>It'll be fine pup. Just gotta start small, you'll get through to them somehow.</i></b>"</p><p>Gaara gave a watery smile, scrubbing the tears away as he stood up and decided to head for the roof.</p><p>Perhaps Shukaku wasn't <i>that</i> annoying.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Yugito wasn't horribly concerned about their success, since she was sure that the bijū had back-up plans to prevent <i>that</i> from happening again, but it still helped to have a solid plan.</p><p>Bī's plans were surprisingly well thought out, if a little lacking when it came to thinking of the consequences. When all was said and done, six hours of quiet arguing later, it was agreed that she'd perform a partial transformation into Matatabi to reach Han and Rōshi. At which point, she'd bring them back to Bī, and he'd shelter them in secret.</p><p>Fū, Gaara, and Naruto were too young to be taken from their villages without it being noticed, Yagura was the Mizukage, and Utakata was likely to be taken care of by Yagura, so Han and Rōshi were the only ones they could actually kidnap without consequences. Well, without large ones at least.</p><p>Once they were all together, they'd form a rough map of what they'd remembered about the Akatsuki and any other threats to society, then Bī would use his status to try getting an audience with Yagura, though he says that it may take a while because of all the clean up that would be going on to fix the Bloody Mist, but with four of the nine, they should be able to come up with something semi-solid at least.</p><p>If all else fails, she's sure the others had plans of their own, especially the kid that brought them back in the first place. He'd probably be in the best position to change the most things actually, but she'd try kidnapping him later, if they couldn't communicate with him some other way, of course.</p><p>Matatabi would assist the plan by muffling the glow and chakra output that's created by a partial transformation. All in all, she estimates that it would be a week long trip to get to Iwa without breaks, possibly another day or so to find Rōshi and Han, then about a week and a half, possibly two, to get back to Genbu, as she wasn't sure how capable they were regarding quick travel.</p><p>The path would bring her near Shimogakure, but she would be taking a small detour to ensure it never crossed her sight. She'd also be going near Otogakure's future location, but since they didn't know if the village had already been formed, it was safer to instead cross into Hi no Kuni and go around the Valley of the End, a much larger detour that would add about a day of travel, but it was better than risking being caught by a Sannin. After that, she'd be heading near Takigakure. She wouldn't go too close, of course, but she'd let out a small pulse of chakra and wait a maximum of an hour for Fū to respond. If Fū didn't meet her, but responded, she'd move on, if Fū did meet her, they'd see if she would be able to join their group, if she didn't respond and didn't go out to see her, she'd cancel the half transformation and sneak into Takigakure. She should be capable enough to do so, but if she deemed it too risky, she'd have to move on and forget about Fū, hopefully it didn't come to that, but it was always a possibility.</p><p>After that, she'd need another day or so to get into Tsuchi no Kuni, at which point she'd allow a quiet, steady amount of chakra to escape as she and Matatabi went searching for Iwa's two Jinchūriki, who could be literally anywhere in Tsuchi no Kuni because they didn't allow themselves to be tied down to Iwagakure. She was hopeful that they'd find her first, but it should be easy enough to find them regardless, especially if they were together.</p><p>After that, she'd give them a rundown, see if they'd join her back in Kumogakure. Rōshi was near certain to say yes, as he's reported to be a missing-nin in all but name, while Han was more unknown. She knew nothing about him other than his proficiency with Futton, not even his relation to Iwagakure was public <i>enough</i> for her to find it.</p><p>Regardless, whether she returned with one, two, three, or none, they'd still hash out a plan and figure out how to communicate with each other and the younger ones without raising suspicion or having to travel for weeks to meet in person.</p><p>Matatabi didn't seem to know anything, and neither did Gyūki, so there wasn't much hope on that front. Regardless, it never hurt to <i>try</i>.</p><p>"<i><b>Alright, I'm ready if you are?</b></i>"</p><p>"Remember, one month is your limit, don't go past by even a minute, fool." Yugito rolled her eyes, giving an exasperated smile, ignoring the "term of endearment" as she walked out the gate,</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, be careful Bī-sama, I won't be here to back you up if your cover's blown." Bī looked slightly offended that she even considered it a possibility, but he couldn't even get in a word as she and Matatabi started their run.</p><p>"<i>Will Yondaime-sama actually believe Bī's excuse?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Probably not, but it'll buy us enough time regardless.</b></i>"</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Yagura did his best not to show his exhaustion, but fighting an Uchiha was very difficult, especially <i>this one</i> because he knew Jikūkan ninjutsu.</p><p>Still, most of his ANBU were present, alongside several jōnin and even another jinchūriki, a missing-nin if he was remembering correctly.</p><p>"<i>Isobu, I'm going to need the third tail.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Of course Yagura-san, and it looks like nii-san will be going up to five.</b></i>" Yagura huffed as the final tail overtook him. There was still the option for Tailed Beast Mode, Version 2 Cloak, and a Partial Transformation, but hopefully that wouldn't be necessary. Isobu wouldn't intentionally destroy all of Kiri, but it was still a very likely possibility if he decided to go for anything stronger than a two-tailed Version 2 Cloak.</p><p>Dodging another attack, he scowled as the Uchiha easily avoided seven attacks at once. Kamui was perhaps one of the most annoying things an Uchiha could do.</p><p>"Suiton: Mizukagami no Jutsu."</p><p>Right on time, Katon: Bakufū Ranbu reflected back at the target. The Uchiha was grazed, but activated the fucking <i>Kamui</i> once more.</p><p>This is perhaps the worst fight he's ever had the <i>pleasure</i> of participating in.</p><p>The other jinchūriki tried to get the Uchiha from the back, but it was of no use. He fell back and added another tail.</p><p>No, he didn't just add another tail, he went for Version 2 Cloak, Six-Tails.</p><p>A sudden foreboding crept up on Yagura, but he couldn't think on it too much, not when the Uchiha was hell bent on getting him under another genjutsu or flat out killing him. Yagura was the Yondaime Mizukage, he had a duty to his people and he was not going to let his village fall to the whims of a madman <i>again</i>.</p><p>The Uchiha was caught in a bubble, a strong one. Yagura didn't need to be told about the plan to understand the other jinchūriki's goal.</p><p>"<i>Isobu, Version 2, three-tails. Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu.</i>"</p><p>In less than a second, he flashed through all the hand signs, taking on the Version 2 Cloak at the last minute, and the bubble was enveloped by a large water shark, bigger and stronger than any before it. The shark bit down on the bubble, which exploded with extreme force, scattering the Uchiha's limbs across the battlefield and Kirigakure as a whole.</p><p>Without even needing to be told, Isobu retracted his power, leaving Yagura drained, but standing. The other jinchūriki did the same, revealing a young man with brown hair dressed in a blue kimono. Yagura gave him a small bow after catching his breath, finally remembering the man's name,</p><p>"Thank you for your assistance, Utakata-san. ANBU Commander, Kame and Namako, come with me, Kamijō-san, Abe-san, call the council for an emergency meeting. I want the remaining ANBU to hunt down every last piece of that man, seal his body, and burn it. If I find that any of you keep or forget a piece, you will be severely punished. Utakata-san, come with me."</p><p>"<i>There's no way it was that easy.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Definitely not, he likely retreated.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>And now that he's not holding the genjutsu, I have no idea where he is.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Maybe Utakata-san or nii-chan will know?</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Maybe.</i>"</p><p>Yagura was uncharacteristically silent as he waited for the council to come. The Yuki clan's oldest representative, and sadly <i>only</i> representative, was a mere child, so they wouldn't be attending, but no other clan, especially the nobles, had any excuses.</p><p>Once everyone was present, and rightfully wary considering the missing-nin and the reputation he had for being murderous, they were all on high alert when Yagura stood.</p><p>"I'm sure you all witnessed the battle just a few minutes ago. That was an Uchiha, he was holding a genjutsu on me for at least two years. The actions I've taken as Mizukage were not my own, however I have no doubt that that man's still alive if he was powerful enough to hold a genjutsu on a jinchūriki for so long. From what the Sanbi has told me, he was planning on having so much control that dispelling the genjutsu would kill me. I apologize for everything I've done, and I will be reversing the ban on Kekkei Genkai. I will do my best to reverse all the undue stigma and hate I've created. Along with that, I'll have Academy reforms ready in two days to be implemented, class is not to be held until I've given the reforms."</p><p>He motioned to Utakata, who bowed his head and hid his nervousness well, considering he's never had to deal with the high-class, "Utakata-san's missing-nin status has been revoked, if he wishes, he can either be a jōnin or an ANBU, but Kiri must present a strong front. We will not be blinded like this again."</p><p>The council was nervous. Yagura withheld a sigh as a Hoshigaki stood up and bowed.</p><p>It was going to be a long day.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Rōshi scowled as he looked over the scroll.</p><p>How did they know so little?</p><p>"<i><b>Because it didn't involve us until we were hunted down and killed.</b></i>"</p><p>Han speaking was the only thing that kept Rōshi from yelling at Son Gokū.</p><p>"Hm, it seems that we're worse off than I thought. We should find another jinchūriki that was a little more involved."</p><p>"Maybe that Uzumaki brat?"</p><p>Han shook his head, rolling up the scroll and placing it in his kimono,</p><p>"No, he'd be a child and thus one of the most protected things in Konoha. The Ichibi jinchūriki is the same." Rōshi's scowl deepened,</p><p>"So who else is there? Kumo, right?"</p><p>Han nodded, standing up,</p><p>"And Kiri. However I doubt we'll be welcome in the Bloody Mist, so Kumo would be a better idea."</p><p>Rōshi got up, following Han as he set a sedate pace, likely trying to remember how <i>exactly</i> to get to Kumo.</p><p>"<i><b>East from here, brat.</b></i>"</p><p>"Kumo's east. How long do you think we'll get take?" Han started running and Rōshi followed, not really wanting to bother, but knowing that it was better to do something rather than be a sitting duck.</p><p>"Kokuō says if we want to preserve energy just in case we get stuck in a fight, three weeks, though if we rushed it, without sleeping and with little eating, we could probably do it in a week." Rōshi nodded, coming into step with Han, making sure to survey the area as they went, because surprise attacks weren't something he wanted to bother with.</p><p>"We have a few years, we can afford to take it slow."</p><p>Han nodded and they settled into silence. Running at a relatively slow pace for a ninja.</p><p>Rōshi let Han lead them while he kept his eyes and ears peeled, guiding them away from potential fights if he sensed another person.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Han wasn't particularly fond of Rōshi's company. He was sour and complained often, however he was an experienced ninja and his skill set was more varied than Han's.</p><p>That, and he couldn't deny the need for the jinchūriki to be in contact with one another. Not when they could prevent such a disastrous war.</p><p>"<i><b>Han-san, if we alter our path slightly we'll run into Matatabi-chan and her jinchūriki near the border of Tsuchi.</b></i>"</p><p>Han gave a hum, he couldn't deny the desire for a better conversationalist, especially not when it aligned so conveniently with his goals.</p><p>"<i>Where?</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>Head for Takigakure, though make sure to aim a little further south. Once you get within a kilometer of the border, flare your chakra so she'll be able to sense us.</b></i>"</p><p>Han nodded and altered course just a little bit, ignoring the raised brow from Rōshi.</p><p>As soon as they met up with Matatabi and her jinchūriki they could start formulating an actual plan.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Utakata let out a quiet sigh of relief as the council left. Yagura gave him an amused smile as he dismissed the three ANBU that had joined him.</p><p>"Alright, how would you like to be my shadow?" Utakata blinked,</p><p>"<i><b>Oh he's asking if you wanna be his guard! I'd say yes because it's safer for you two to be together just in case!</b></i>" Utakata gave a small smile at Saiken's reply, energetic as usual.</p><p>"Saiken believes it would be for the best." Yagura nodded, handing him an ANBU mask,</p><p>"You should probably wear that, but I don't really care if you do or not, there are so many other things I have to worry about. For one, I need to find the last Yuki, because he needs to be sheltered, if he's already somewhere safe I'll just leave an ANBU to guard him, probably Akaei because she's good with kids, otherwise I'll have to see if Mei's willing to take him. And I also need to get working on those Academy reforms."</p><p>Utakata looked at the mask, turning it over and studying the pattern,</p><p>"Umiushi?" Yagura looked up from the paper he'd started scribbling notes onto and cocked an eyebrow,</p><p>"Unless you'd prefer Namekuji or Suragu?" Utakata rubbed his neck, </p><p>"You've already got a Namako though."</p><p>"They won't know the difference."</p><p>"<i><b>Umiushi's more fun to say!</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>But you're a slug.</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>So? Wouldn't it be more out of place to</b></i><b> not<i> be a sea creature?</i></b>"</p><p>Utakata sighed,</p><p>"Saiken's partial to Umiushi." Yagura brightened,</p><p>"Great, I have to get you a uniform later too, that kimono can't be great for battle."</p><p>Utakata didn't reply, tucking the mask into his sash and leaning against the wall, silently forming harmless bubbles with his fingers, not wanting to use his pipe.</p><p>The room was calm, silent, before Utakata spoke,</p><p>"Are you not worried about the war?"</p><p>Yagura gave a hum, not looking up from the cascade of notes overtaking his desk,</p><p>"I am, however it's reasonable to assume that the others came back as well, and, since they don't have to fix an entire village, they're likely to already be working on it. I'll help once my village is fixed. However, you're welcome to start plotting. I'll have to fix our relations with other nations. Konoha is likely to be the most helpful in that regard. You can sneak off and speak to the Kyūbi container while I speak with the Hokage."</p><p>Utakata nodded, finding no flaws in his reasoning, and went back to playing with his bubbles.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Fū paused in her training when she felt a weak pulse of chakra.</p><p>"<i><b>Oh, that's Matatabi! We're very lucky indeed. Go out to meet her!</b></i>"</p><p>Fū was by no means the strongest ninja in the village, however she was <i>one</i> of the best when she was older. And besides, she grew up here, she knows every nook and cranny of this village.</p><p>So it really wasn't difficult for her to mask her chakra and form a henge. Once she got to the lake, she made sure there were only civilians nearby, and she dove in, careful to be quiet and make no splash.</p><p>The lake wasn't really a lake, it was home to a bunch of different underwater passageways. Of course, they were very far down and very small, so even if you did manage to reach them, it would be nearly impossible for anyone but a child to make it through.</p><p>But she had Chōmei, and she was in a child's body, so she'd be fine.</p><p>It took her about ten minutes to reach the bottom, another fifteen to make it through the right passage, and then she had to emerge from behind a waterfall so she didn't alert the shinobi guarding the area.</p><p>It wasn't too hard to avoid them, as they were mere chūnin, except for one jōnin that she stayed far away from.</p><p>All in all, it took her about thirty five minutes to escape Taki and reach the area that Matatabi and her jinchūriki were resting.</p><p>Fū gave a wave, knowing that she was absolutely soaked, and grinned,</p><p>"Hi, I'm Fū, holder of the Nanabi, Chōmei." The young woman stood up and gave a smile, shaking her hand,</p><p>"It's nice to meet you, I'm Yugito, holder of the Nibi, Matatabi." Fū smiled as she relaxed and rested against a rock,</p><p>"Bī, the holder of the Hachibi, and I were trying to get as many jinchūriki to Kumo as possible, so we can make a plan. Rōshi and Han, the Yonbi and Gobi holders, are where I'm headed. Yagura, holder of the Sanbi, is a kage, so we can't take him, and he has Utakata, holder of the Rokubi, with him. Naruto and Gaara, holders of the Kyūbi and Ichibi, are both too young and too well protected for us to take. Are you in a situation to join us, or are you safe where you are?"</p><p>Fū blinked at the influx of information before giving a sheepish smile,</p><p>"Oh, well, I'm sorry, but Chōmei and I can't leave. Shibuki-sama takes good care of me, and the village treats me kindly,  but I <i>can</i> communicate with others long-distance using the wind. It's an option for me to let you know if there's an emergency." Yugito gave a smile, nodding,</p><p>"Alright then, if you find any way for us to communicate, please tell us. I'm going to relax for another few minutes before leaving again."</p><p>Fū didn't reply, letting Yugito flop onto the ground. It must've taken her a lot of energy to get to Taki from Kumo in only five days.</p><p>They both paused when they felt a pulse of chakra. Yugito gave a quite groan before standing up. She patted Fū's head and smiled,</p><p>"That's Han, I have to go. Make sure to talk to us at least once a week so we know that you're okay." Fū nodded and Yugito was off.</p><p>"<i><b>She's going to be exhausted when she gets home.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Definitely. Let's go back to the field, we were really close to pulling off the twister!</i>"</p><p>"<b><i>Luck is on our side today, Fū-chan!</i></b>"</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Ē raised an eyebrow as Bī sat in the offered chair.</p><p>"You know I'm not stupid right?"</p><p>"I know you aren't a fool, ya fool!"</p><p>Ē rolled his eyes,</p><p>"Just checking, because Nii-san is currently off on a month-long 'intel mission' in Iwa." Bī nodded, and Ē set the report on fire,</p><p>"So what are you really up to? You've been strange all week."</p><p>Bī weighed his options.</p><p>On one hand, Yugito would be mad that she wasn't told ahead of time.</p><p>On the other, having a <i>non-jinchūriki</i> kage on their side would be invaluable.</p><p>
"<i><b>Telling him is probably better in the long run.</b></i>"
</p><p>
And Bī had come to the same conclusion. So he'd just have to weather Yugito's wrath.
</p><p>
"Time travel because of the Kyūbi is exactly what's happenin'."
</p><p>
Ē winced, and Bī knew it was a stretch, but he was going to become the best rapper, even if a few lyrics ended up in the dirt.
</p><p>
Coming back to his senses, Ē sighed.
</p><p>
"Time travel, huh. Normally I wouldn't believe you, but with how you've been acting lately <i>and</i> reports saying that the Suna jinchūriki isn't rampaging anymore, I'm inclined to believe you."
</p><p>
Ē's gaze sharpened as he lowered the privacy seals,
</p><p>
"ANBU. Short of the apocalypse, no one comes in here until we're done talking." And the seals were back up, stronger than ever.
</p><p>
"Tell me everything so I can keep you from doing something stupid."
</p><p>
-&lt;(~)&gt;-
</p><p>
Naruto was going to murder Kakashi, and he wasn't going to regret it.
</p><p>
"<i><b>Calm down kit, you were going to have to figure out how to properly read sooner or later. I'm surprised you made it to your twenties without someone sitting you down and reteaching you.</b></i>"
</p><p>
"<i>Kurama I will skewer you.</i>"
</p><p>
Naruto could <i>feel</i> the eye roll directed his way.
</p><p>
"And that's that my cute little student! I'll be back in a week to see how much you've improved!"
</p><p>
And the bastard was gone. Naruto sighed, dropping his head onto the table with a soft thud.
</p><p>
"<i>Any news on the others?</i>"
</p><p>
"<i><b>Isobu and Saiken were fighting someone earlier, both are fine. Matatabi ran across the continent to meet with Chōmei, Gokū, and Kokuō. Gyūki's been weirdly silent, and Shukaku got angry for a second before reigning himself in.</b></i>"
</p><p>
"<i>So Yagura and Utakata are together, Yugito, Fū, Rōshi, and Han are near each other, Bī's probably covering for Yugito's disappearance, and Gaara's alone, but Shukaku isn't being an asshole, got it.</i>"
</p><p>
"<i><b>Yes. Now that dog-breath's gone, back to training.</b></i>"
</p><p>
Naruto choked,
</p><p>
"<i>Dog-breath!?</i>"
</p><p>
"<i><b>He</b></i><b> reeks<i> of dog. Get back to training, we'll break into the library tonight since now we can actually use reading materials now without you complaining.</i></b>"
</p><p>
Naruto groaned and dragged himself out of the chair.
</p><p>
Kurama <i>and</i> Kakashi were going to be murdered.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Holy shit that was a long chapter. Sorry it's being posted in the middle of the night, but I didn't think it would be so long. Sorry for the lack of action with Han, Rōshi, Gaara, and Naruto, but I think I made up for it, yeesh. I didn't really have any ideas going into this, but last minute, like six hours ago, I finally got to writing because I'm not about to break schedule <i>this</i> early, and just...wow.</p><p>Oh, and that technique that Yagura and Utakata used? I'm naming it <i>Water Style: Explosive Shark Bubble</i> but I don't know what that is in Japanese.</p><p>I promise you I posted this on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 21:30ish, so idk why it's saying that I posted on March 12</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Pieces Are Set</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Very few things happen, but Utakata and Yagura have made a breakthrough.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one is <i>way</i> shorter than the last one because I'm planning a trip for six people, sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gaara was starting to get stir crazy, but really, there wasn't much he could do. Building rapport with his siblings would be a struggle, as would trying to get closer to his father. Both would take time, and his uncle's days were numbered as well.</p><p>He didn't have a very solid plan, but he had to do <i>something,</i> so he did.</p><p>Every morning, he'd make cute little snacks for Temari and Kankurō. Neither dared to touch them.</p><p>Then he'd clean up the house, train for a bit under the watch of many ANBU, then return home, setting out a stack of cards and waited for his siblings to return.</p><p>When they did, they usually ran back outside. Terrified of him.</p><p>He'd cried himself to sleep more than once, but he'd get there, eventually.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>As Yugito ran, she had the distinct impression that she was going to be <i>exhausted</i> later. </p><p>Still, this was the best course of action. Upon meeting with Rōshi and Han, they'd actually be able to solidify a plan.</p><p>So, she sprinted across the land, glad that Matatabi was helping her so much.</p><p>The chakra signatures weren't very far, but she would have to cross a small gorge, which, if she gained enough speed, could be jumped over.</p><p>She better get a break after this.<br/>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>The following days were hectic for both Yagura and Utakata. Yagura had so much work to do to rework Kiri, while Utakata was put in charge of trying to find a way to communicate with the other jinchūriki.</p><p>They spent most of their days in the library. Yagura swamped with paperwork and Utakata scowering dozens of books for information.</p><p>It was a hassle, but progress was being made. The heir to the Yuki clan was in the care of Momochi Zabuza, so he was swiftly granted guardianship and Akaei was posted guard for them, but told to remain scarce unless she deemed it right to intervene. Mei was taken on as Yagura's advisor, as someone with two kekkei genkai and the person who was Mizukage after him in the other timeline. It was a good move on his part for sure, both for PR and actual advisory. She had a good head on her shoulders and was great at catching little mistakes.</p><p>He had just finished the Academy Reforms, having had Utakata and Mei check them out, and fixed any flaws they may have found. They were airtight and due to be implemented <i>immediately</i> with no exceptions.</p><p>Things were looking up for Kiri.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>When Han changed course Rōshi was tempted to ask, but was also fairly sure he didn't want to know.</p><p>He was not an overly curious person, curiosity wouldn't gnaw at him from the inside until he got answers like it would for many others. He could drop a matter and be fine.</p><p>Gokū had gone silent a while ago, and Rōshi was glad for it, because a trip in silence was a rare gift.</p><p>Still. He was getting bored.</p><p>But he was not expecting to see a young woman leap across a gorge, cloaked in the Nibi's chakra, which certainly caught his attention.</p><p>She settled down before them, exhausted but hiding it well. The Nibi's chakra was pulled back in as she gave them a smile.</p><p>"I'm Nii Yugito, holder of the Nibi, I assume you're Han and Rōshi?" Han stepped forward with a nod, </p><p>"I assume you came back as well?"</p><p>"Don't ask questions you know the answer to. Look, Nii, neither of us know shit, Han's got everything we know written down and it's pretty much nothing."</p><p>Her expression didn't change, but he sensed a slight spike in killing intent.</p><p>He's impressed.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Perhaps he should've abandoned Rōshi, because his attitude was not endearing him to Yugito whatsoever. Han simply sighed and handed over the nearly empty scroll, reigning in his urge to flambé a man.</p><p>"As much as I'd hate to admit it, he's right." Yugito gave him a quirk of the lips, silently amused, and opened it up and scanning it over quickly. She gave a nod,</p><p>"Alright, there's a thing or two on here that we didn't know. Regardless, Bī and I are extending an offer to live with us. Bī's vacation home is located in a remote area, and it would be far easier to plan when we're all together." Her face went blank. Han tilted his head towards Rōshi, considering the offer for a moment.</p><p>"<i><b>We should take it. Regardless of if Rōshi accompanies us, Bī is the second oldest jinchūriki</b></i><b> and <i>he's on good terms with the Raikage.</i></b>"</p><p>"<i>Ah, a golden opportunity then.</i>"</p><p>He disregarded Rōshi's opinion in light of the new information. Whether or not Rōshi came with them to Kumo, it was a far better idea to join Yugito on her trip.</p><p>"Kokuō and I will be going."</p><p>Rōshi's look of mild annoyance made his day.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Utakata frowned, rereading the passage, not quite understanding the process, but certainly understanding the result,</p><p>"Mizukage-sama?" Yagura raised his hand, downed his coffee, then turned his attention to Utakata,</p><p>"Did you find something?"</p><p>Utakata handed over the book, pointing to the third section of the page,</p><p>"I don't know. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about pure chakra manipulation, but I think so." Yagura read it over and hummed. His eyebrow furrowed as he read it another three times,</p><p>"Well, theoretically...hm..."</p><p>"<i><span class="u">Did it work?</span></i>"</p><p>Utakata barely stopped himself from jolting upright. The feeling of alien chakra washing over his mind was a strange one.</p><p>"It worked."</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Fū groaned, flopping onto her bed.</p><p>"I'm so boooored!"</p><p>The door creaked open, a warm voice hit her ear,</p><p>"Well, why don't you show me what you've been doing?" She shot up, nearly falling off the bed before catching herself. She gave a large grin,</p><p>"Shibuki-sama!" He gave a chuckle, ruffling her hair kindly, though she didn't miss the telltale signs of unease as he glanced to and fro, on the lookout for any danger.</p><p>Right, he wasn't very confident anymore. Still, he was Shibuki, and he'd always been kind to her.</p><p>She bounced in place and grabbed his hand, excitedly yanking him towards the training grounds.</p><p>"Right right! I've gotten so much done, I'm getting really good with Fūton manipulation, ssu!"</p><p>Shibuki's kind and curious smile always made her day.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Bī was thoroughly drained from speaking for so long. He wasn't too involved until the middle stages, but it was still <i>a lot.</i></p><p>Ē's face was blank. His eyes betrayed nothing. He only got like that when he was absolutely terrified.</p><p>"Bī. When Nii-san and her guests return, hide them. We will be putting seals on your house, if there are <i>any</i> disturbances, you will report them immediately. A threat of this caliber cannot be ignored. Two days after Nii-san returns, we'll be having a diplomacy meeting with the Hokage. You or Nii-san will slip away and find the Kyūbi container, and speak to him. The day after that, if the spies deem it safe, we'll be going to Kirigakure to extend our hand. The Mizukage is a jinchūriki, so we'll be able to tell him <i>everything.</i>"</p><p>Bī gave a nod, and Ē dismissed him without another word.</p><p>All he could do now was train and wait.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Naruto slammed his head against the table.</p><p>"Why is reading so haaaarrrrd ttebayo!?"</p><p>"<b><i>Because you have to unlearn everything you've been taught.</i></b>"</p><p>"Maaah-stop being sarcastic! Why didn't you teach me right when you found out I was doing it wrong!?"</p><p>Naruto could feel Kurama's eye-roll.</p><p>"<i><b>Because I didn't like you and when I did we were in the middle of a war. It wasn't important.</b></i>"</p><p>And now he was paying the consequences.</p><p>Naruto opened his mouth to complain again, but froze as an unfamiliar chakra presence washed over him.</p><p>"<i><span class="u">This is Karatachi Yagura, jinchūriki of Isobu. I believe we have much to speak about.</span></i>"</p><p>And suddenly, he didn't care about the wasted hours he'd been relearning how to read.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Again, sorry for the criminally short chapter. I'll flesh everything out later, I just have a lot of crap on my plate, but I <i>really</i> didn't want to miss an upload.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Communications Established</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Communication has been established!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gaara gave a sigh as he planted another cactus in the sand around their home. It was both for utility and to keep him from losing it. He was even doing it the civilian way with no chakra.</p><p>"<i><span class="u">Gaara, it's Naruto! Can you hear me!?</span></i>" Gaara froze, dropping his mini shovel,</p><p>"<i>Shukaku...</i>" The tanuki had stopped creating sandcastles (for the sole purpose of destroying them), and let out a huff,</p><p>"<i><b>It wasn't your imagination, pup.</b></i>" A spark of hope that had been dwindling over the past few days reignited with a furious passion.</p><p>"<i>How do I respond?</i>"</p><p>There was a moment of silence, and Gaara let out a sigh.</p><p>It was just like Naruto to overlook the little detail that <i>he didn't know how to respond.</i></p><p>Fine, he'd just pick Shukaku's brain and figure it out.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Yugito was fairly exhausted, it had taken Rōshi three hours of arguing with the Yonbi to come to the decision that he would accompany them.</p><p>Apparently, as much as he disliked Iwa, he wasn't very eager to be out of their sight. Still, it means the return trip would go slightly slower with an extra person, maybe an extra two hours due to the slightly decreased speed of travel.</p><p>They had, however, had a breakthrough on the communication front.</p><p>"<i><span class="u">Hello, I'm Utakata, holder of the Rokubi. Is this the holder of the Nibi? To respond, take hold of your pure, unaltered chakra, send it through your bijū, who'll be able to pinpoint my bijū's chakra to send it to the proper recipient, and relay your message. There is a longer delay for longer distance, approximately one second for every meter, so please say as much in your initial response as possible, as this method of communication is not meant for extreme long distance. It's the best we could find. I will fill you in as soon as I have the confirmation of your identity.</span></i>"</p><p>The alien chakra washing over her had been unpleasant, but the message pushed some pressure off her shoulders as she ran.</p><p>"<i>Matata-chan? Is that really possible?</i>" Matatabi hummed for a moment, considering her words, before sending feelings of affirmation,</p><p>"<i><b>It's an old and extremely convoluted technique that no one used even when it was invented, but the presence of bijū makes it far easier and simpler to perform. To send your message, it'll be like condensing your thoughts into chakra. Think of it like writing the message into the portion of the chakra you give me, make sure to give me just a little more chakra than necessary to make sure the entire message is sent.</b></i>"</p><p>Giving a bright smile, Yugito did just as she was told.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Yagura sighed, rubbing his head. Utakata looked at him, having just sent off a message to the holder of the Nibi.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Yagura stared at him for a moment, before thunking his head onto his desk,</p><p>"Uzumaki-san is...more of a spur of the moment thinker. However, the seal was activated at the very last moment with the expectation of it never needing to be used, so I can't exactly blame him for having no complete plan. He has vague outlines, either killing or reforming Orochimaru for one, ensuring that the Uchiha never defects, trying to get the Hokage to do something, which will likely be sometime soon, as he'd <i>forgotten</i> about it, destroying ROOT, and he also insists on trying to get Tsunade-hime to return to Konoha."</p><p>Utakata sat down, blowing a few bubbles and thinking,</p><p>"It's better than nothing, I suppose. Is he going to contact anyone, or will we have to do the rest." Yagura looked back at the stack of papers he was supposed to be signing and shrugged,</p><p>"He wanted to inform the Ichibi container himself, as they're close friends, but made no other special requests. As you've already sent a message to the Nibi, I'll handle the Yonbi, there's no need to contact the Gobi, as he and the Yonbi are in close proximity, you can contact the Nanabi, and the Hachibi is in close proximity to the Nibi. We'll do so in an hour, as I have paperwork to do, and you need to put the library back in order. It looks like a tsunami tore through it."</p><p>Yagura held back a smile as Utakata looked down at the piles of books he collected, as if realizing for the first time that he would indeed have to put them back.</p><p>With a belated sigh, he got up and grabbed the nearest stack of books, wandering into the endless halls of the Kirigakure Shinobi Library.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Rōshi did catch Yugito's momentary stutter and slight wide-eyed look, but when he and Gokū didn't detect any danger, he figured it would be between her and the Nibi.</p><p>She didn't say anything, but she did have a small smile on her face. Whatever that had surprised her was evidently good news. Good for her, at least.</p><p>He'd rather stop running and go back to living his life until he died, but it wasn't only his life he was affecting, so he <i>had</i> to help.</p><p>Normally he wouldn't give a shit, but apparently he grew a heart some time after he was revived.</p><p>It was such a nuisance.</p><p>"<i><b>For the love of-will you STOP COMPLAINING!?</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>I'll complain as much as I fucking want.</i>"</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Han could see from the twitch in Rōshi's expression that he was arguing with the Yonbi again. Good, better to be stuck in his head rather than complaining out loud.</p><p>Yugito had received good news from the Nibi, having been smiling ever since her momentary stutter a few hours after they left.</p><p>Good, every moment of good news was another moment closer to ending this violence before it starts and retiring from being a ninja so he and Kokuō could live in peace.</p><p>"<i><b>I've been meaning to ask, why do you care so much about my ideals?</b></i>" Han gave them a small smile, one that he knew the bijū would appreciate,</p><p>"<i>You're a friend. I do truly feel bad for how I treated you, and as such I wish to make amends. Your ideals are, while a little unrealistic, a noble thing to strive for, and, truthfully, I do wish as much as you to live in peace, if a little less so, since I've not lived in violence as long as you...Perhaps, one day, you'll be able to run free again, without need to worry.</i>"</p><p>Kokuō was silent, though the intense thankfulness and appreciation and <i>utter happiness</i> boiling in the back of his mind was all he needed in response.</p><p>They deserved more than he could offer. He's only just begun to make amends.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Utakata set the final book on the shelf when he got the Nibi's response.</p><p>Nii Yugito. Joined by the Gobi and Yonbi, separated from the Hachibi, but willing to contact him for them.</p><p>Good, that was far more than he'd expected.</p><p>"Karatachi-sama," because apparently Mizukage-sama was <i>too formal</i> for <i>"kin"</i>, "I've received a response from the Nibi. There's no need to contact the Gobi or Yonbi, as they're with the Nibi, and she's offered to contact the Hachibi for us." Yagura looked up from the slowly shrinking piles of papers and gave him a nod and a light smile.</p><p>He was oddly emotive for a ninja, especially a kage, however they were in private and...<i>"kin",</i> so he supposed it wasn't <i>too</i> unusual.</p><p>"Then, as you've finished cleaning up, could you please contact the Nanabi for me? Nobles are far more demanding than I remember." Holding back a snort, not helped by Saiken's giggling, he gave a nod,</p><p>"<i>What should I say?</i>" Saiken was still giggling, but he composed himself well enough to respond.</p><p>Utakata wished he was so easy to please.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Fū had just gotten back from training with Shibuki when she froze.</p><p>"<i><span class="u">This is Utakata, holder of the Rokubi. All the others are in contact with us. The Hachibi, Nibi, Gobi, and Yonbi are in close proximity, the Ichibi is safe in Suna, the Kyūbi is safe in Konoha with plans to enact, and I'm with the Sanbi. We wish to know of your well-being, along with any plans you may have. Include as much detail as possible, as each message takes one second for every meter. Inscribe your message in your unaltered, pure, chakra, give it to the Nanabi, and she'll send it to the Rokubi, so I can then review it.</span></i>"</p><p>Chōmei fluttered excitedly for a moment as Fū froze from the extremely uncomfortable and alien feeling of unfamiliar chakra taking hold of her mind.</p><p>"<i><b>Oh this is certainly our lucky day! Though, I didn't think Saiken would be the one to contact us.</b></i>" At her friend's glee, Fū shook herself from her discomfort and smiled,</p><p>"<i>This is great ssu! What should we tell them?</i>" Chōmei considered her words for a moment, before her chipper voice sounded,</p><p>"<i><b>Just tell him that we're safe in Taki with plans to attend the Konoha Chūnin exams at the same time as Naruto-san and Gaara-kun!</b></i>"</p><p>Grinning, Fū jumped onto her bed and prepared the message.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Bī was bored.</p><p>He was training. Training. Training. When he could be doing something useful, but he'd given the task to Yugito instead.</p><p>"I'm a fool, ya-"</p><p>"<i><span class="u">Bī-sama! Utakata, holder of the Rokubi, figured out a way for us to communicate. There's a larger delay the further the distance, one second per meter, but it's a great solution to our communication issues! Oh, Fū is safe and happy in Taki, and both Rōshi and Han have a agreed to assist, though Rōshi took quite a bit of convincing. We should be back by Saturday, around noon. Don't send me a rap, please, this communication is time consuming, and we need to be clear with each other. Utakata and Mizukage-sama are together, Utakata being an ANBU and personal guard for him. Naruto and Kazekage-sama, who isn't a kage yet, are both alone in their villages, but Naruto has plans to inform the Hokage of the situation, and Gaara is just waiting and doing the little training he can get away with. Please inform me of any updates while I was gone, or just if you've gotten the message. To do so, inscribe a message in your chakra, give it to the Hachibi, then he can give it to Matatabi, thanks.</span></i>"</p><p>Bī was glad that they had a solid method of communication, but his mind was solely on another fact.</p><p>"<i><b>I'd say to tell her now so she can blow off steam before she gets here.</b></i>"</p><p>"<i>Or she'll be given time to boil and erupt-</i>"</p><p>"<i><b>But she'll also be given time to inform the others of the matter, which may lead to them altering their plans so they don't blow up in their face. Naruto's telling the Hokage, and he informed everyone because that could change how they handle certain matters going forward. We'll also need to inform Ē of the matter too.</b></i>"</p><p>Right. He's in a lose-lose situation.</p><p>Better to get it over with.</p><p>-&lt;(~)&gt;-</p><p>Naruto realized his error once he sent the message, and immediately sent another one right after.</p><p>The responding <i>"Stupid kit"</i> he got in response was ignored.</p><p>Gaara was fine, if a little lonely and sad. Naruto had forgotten that he and his siblings weren't on great terms at this time, and they hadn't gone back far enough to save his uncle.</p><p>He felt a little bad about it, but there wasn't anything he could do.</p><p>It was stupid, however, to forget that he had an extremely important person to inform about this, because the Sandaime would be another ally, and very much a useful asset.</p><p>So, upon receiving his message from Gaara, he'd immediately gone off to the Hokage's Office.</p><p>There were ninja all about, but he'd outranked them all and it was easy to travel around them without anyone noticing.</p><p>He climbed through Jiji's window, glad to see that no one was present. He activated the privacy seals on the room once he stepped down, immediately putting the Sandaime on high alert.</p><p>"Jiji, I've traveled back in time from a decade in the future. There's a lot I have to tell you."</p><p>Silence.</p><p>"<i><b>Kit...that was probably one of the worst ways to tell him.</b></i>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed it! And, yes, Kokuō goes by they/them pronouns here because I wanted it and the wiki lists them all as siblings rather than brothers and sisters, so I can do what I want.</p><p>Anyway, the relationships with Gaara &amp; Shukaku, Han &amp; Kokuō, and Yagura &amp; Utakata were not ones I expected to be developing, but I like the direction that they're going.</p><p>Shukaku is accidentally becoming the parental figure that Gaara hadn't really had for most of his childhood, Han and Kokuō's friendship is really looking to be the softest and sweetest thing in existence, and Yagura and Utakata are starting to become closer to siblings due to shared experiences and close proximity due to necessity. They aren't quite there, of course, they've only known each other for a week or so.</p><p>I did not intend to make Yagura as light-hearted as he's becoming, but he doesn't have much characterization (aside from Formal, Outspoken, Composed, and [arguably] Curious, which are broad enough for me to mess with them), so I shouldn't be stepping on any toes.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And so, there we have it.<br/>Feel free to recommend tags, don't expect a stable upload schedule, even though I'll try my damnedest to upload every thursday night/friday morning, and have a good day.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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